The Hottest New Clubs

Our picks of nightlife destinations that are so stylish, sexy and extravagant, they’re worth crossing the globe for

Glass,Paris
Tucked away in the red-light district of Pigalle, this pint-sized spot from the team behind the Marais’ popular Mexican cantina Candelaria keeps things dark: An artist-made illuminated floor sheds a sliver of light and a psychedelic mirror behind the bar enhances the rock-and-roll vibe. Monday nights draw Paris’ most discerning nightlife arbiters and guest DJs playing New Wave classics.

Mono, São Paulo
Despite its name, the latest addition to the Baixo Augusta scene is a club in two parts: Up front is a chilled-out lounge with sofas and a small kitchen serving Brazilian tapas; on Saturday nights in the back room, you can dance to old-school classics at the raucous parties that have given the club its reputation among locals as an inferrinha, or hellraiser.

Mad, Beirut
This former warehouse comes alive beneath a grid of coloured, diamond-patterned LED lights that create a trippy atmosphere. At the Wednesday YOLO parties, native Brit and resident DJ Devon replaces the untz-untz beats with an urban vibe, playing hip hop and R&B until the early hours.

Bi Nuu, Berlin
In a city known for all-night parties in gritty abandoned spaces, this renovated train station offers a classier alternative to the warehouse-club experience, hosting Wednesday-night hip hop emcee battles and sweaty dance-floor weekends amid a massive commissioned mural, artist-designed walls and seating salvaged from the Berlin subway.

Arkham, Shanghai
After throwing one-off parties for years, veteran local promoters have launched a lavish, labyrinthine underground club – in both a literal and a metaphorical sense. Two bars open on to the subterranean dance floor, while emerging European and American electronic acts whip the crowd into a frenzy.

The Expert:

Michael Ault, the man behind international superclub Pangae, which launches its India edition in Delhi this month, gives us the insider secrets that make a club truly hot:

1.The night should start out with a smooth and gracious door experience, with a charismatic host to escort you to your table. If they’ve called ahead, bottles should be waiting for the guests when they arrive.
2.Music is key. Always at the perfect volume to suit the room, time of night and the number of people in the room. We usually like to mix it up in terms of genre – we call that “Open Format”.
3.I like a ratio of 40 per cent men to 60 per cent women, and a range of ages. The sophisticated, elite, well-travelled jet setters, that have always been our staple clientele, come in all ages, shapes and sizes. I love when the beauty, energy and spontaneity of youth is combined with the sophisticated, well-dressed confidence and wealth that only age and wisdom can bring.
4.Having celebrities in a room is always a big plus. We don’t make a big deal out of them, treating them exactly as we would our regular guests. We don’t allow photography, excepting smart phones, and no paparazzi.

And finally, a word of advice:
“The best parties are the ones with a mix of great people, music, dancing – and most importantly, that you remember it the next day. So don’t drink yourself into oblivion, and always eat before you go out. Parties just aren’t as much fun if recalled the next day through the bars of a jail or from a hospital bed. Getting home safely is the last chapter to the perfect night out.” – Michael Ault

The Megaclub you have to see to believe:
Vegas nightlife is over-the-top by definition, but Light Nightclub, which opened at the Mandalay Bay hotel (mandalaybay.com) in April, makes those other party spots feel quaint in comparison. The 38,000-square-foot space features top DJs (Skrillex has announced a residency) in an elaborate theatrical setting – think lights shows and costumes – produced by Cirque du Soleil. For one night in Sin City, you can have a mind-altering experience that is perfectly legal.